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JOURNAL OF HORTICTTLTUBB AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. [ March 31, 1863. 



Pi** (S«e/-i«0.— We do not know Mr. Ayres' address. He has long 

 leu the place you name, and the work mentioned is extinct. 



Insects on Plants in Vinery (P. C. D.).— We discovered no insects on 

 the leaf sent, but we saw marks that left no doubt on our minds that you 

 nave the thrips. The best remedy yon can employ at present is 

 smoking, and that repeatedly, as you cannot wash with the Vines in bloom. 

 The next best— nay, the first best— is to take a small brush and a dish of 

 soap water and go over the leaves of the Vines, and every little jumping or 

 sleeping thrips you see daob him up with the soft moist brush. Von would 

 soon thus go over the house, and several eatchlngs would clear the whole. 

 If this is too tedious you must smoke several times, and then, when the 

 frnit is lairly set, you may wash with clear Gishurst, at the strength of 

 about one ounce to two gallons, dissolved the day before, and then gently 

 poured off so as to have the liquor pure and without grounds. Tuisjou 

 must repeat often. If you have a boy with a quick pair of eyes, the brush 

 moistened with soap-water will be the best and most effectual remedy. 

 Now, one word as to bedding plants in a vinery. They will do no harm 

 when the Vines are at rest. Your house must now average 65°, and that 

 will ruin the most of bedomg plants. We were lately accused as the cause 

 of Calceolarias beiDg a living mass of all sorts of insects, from sajixig they 

 might be kept in such houses ; but no one who has read '• Doings of the 

 Last Week " but must have seen that all such plants must, be removed 

 before the temperatuie is much raised. Of all bedding plants Geraniums 

 will 6tand most heat, especially if they have plenty of light. Without thai 

 light all the extra growth from extra heat will be mo. e than neutralised, 

 from their inability to beer the brunts of the open air afterwards. Through 

 excess of work, some variegated Geraniums were left too long in a vinery 

 last spring, but they never got over it until September. 



Laws with Moss and Sflry Hard Grass {A Subscriber).— A mossy 

 lawn ought to be harrowed or scratched over with a rake in spring, and 

 slightly dressed with some flne good soil, which might be sifted, perhaps, 

 to remove all stones, and a quantity of grass seeds mixed in tae soil, it 

 might then be spread over the law n and rolled in. A little wood-ashes or 

 '™ e ' 8 also useful to kill the moss. Tne hard wiry Grass is, however, more 

 difficult to manage; but this generally succumbs to continued cutting, the 

 finer Grasses enduring that oideal belter. Most likely, however, the hard 

 wiry Grass is on the poor land, and it may be treated the same way as that 

 which is mossy. Lawns affected with worm casts are more difficult to 

 manage. Watering with lime-water will keep them down lor a short time 

 only, but it is a teuious and e stpensive mode. Thus some take the trou ble 

 to take np their turf and put an inch or two of cinder ashes or lime-sittings 

 underneath it. The richest grounds are most infested with worms. Weak 

 gas-water will drive them away, but they return again if the weather be 

 mild. 



Colours of Bedding Calceolarias and Verbenas {A Tyro).— The 

 Calceolari.s you meniion are Kentish Hero, orange buff; Vtseosissima, 

 yellow ; and Sultan, crimson. The Verbenas are Prince of Wales, crimson, 

 yellow eye; Andre, purple; St. Margaret, lignt crimson; Mrs. C'ayicy, 

 white, purple eye; and far/urn Madeline, white, violet eye. 



Quantity of Cocoa-nut Fibre Dcsr Ee9uired as a Manure (C. &). 

 — "A rod (imperial;, pole, or perch, or 30.25 square yards, wi;l require 

 one bag or three bushels of cocoa-nut fibre dust. The dust must not be 

 scattered broadcast, but in the rows immediately over the sets; for its 

 properties are not so stimulating as guano or farmyard manure, evidently 

 not being so surcharged with ammonia (nitrogen) ; but it (the dust), yieias 

 nitrogen by the process of decomposition as in the case of all decaying vege- 

 table substances, slowly but surely. Its advantage over manure seems to 

 be due to that continual yield of nutrition being as abundant when the 

 plant is developing as when it is sprouting ; whereas in manure i: is richer 

 when the plant least needs nourishment. — G. A." 



Grubs in Flower-Pots {A. T.).— The grubs sent to us were the larva; 

 either of Bibio Maici or Dilophus fe&rilis, two-winged heavy-nying in.-ects 

 of a shining black or red colour. We have generally considered the grubs 

 feed on decaying vegetable matter ; but they will uoubtless also feed on 

 the fine rootlets of plants, which should be repotted into eanh which has 

 heen baked.— \Y. 



Flower-Garden Plans {M. C. E.).— We have no doubt that No. 1 wi:l 

 look very well, but we preter No. 2, and we would not mix the edgings at 

 all as you propose ; but on an except the four narrow beds at the ends we 

 would have a broad eaging of 12 or 15 inches round each bed, and these 

 should be all pretty level throughout, centre and edgings. Then suppose 

 yon edged 3 ana 4 with blue Lobelia, we would edge 1 anu 2 with variegated 

 Alyssnm. Then we would cru68 the others— as 5, 8, Ageratum, with borders 

 of Tropaeolum, yellow, well disleafed ; 6, 7, yellow Calceolaria, bann of 

 Purple King Verbenas, and edging of Cerastinm if liked. Then cross 

 10, 11, and 9, 12, bordering all instead of mixing, and try this for the pie- 

 sent year. The borders must be close up, joined to the centre, but kept in 

 a straight line Ironi it. 



Bulbs in Pors {H. B.).— To make the most of bulbs done flowering, they 

 should be kept at first under glass, and watered well so long as the leaves 

 remain green, then placed in a sunny p. ace and kept dry to ripen. 



C amel lias and Azaleas after Flowering.— {Idem). — The Camellias 

 and Azaleas may be kept close in the greenhouse, or removed to more heat, 

 where they will form their wood and set their buds earlie: . 



Sowing Clianthus L>ampieei {Idem). — The seeds of Clianthus must 

 not remain long in the hot water— say ten hours. We preler doing so 

 before sowing, ana 130°, 140° or so instead of 100°, as when you steep earth 

 and altogether, it is apt to make a quagmire of the soil. 



Cucumbers Diseased {A Constant Header, Littlehampton).—~W e think 

 it is likely they have taken "the aiseas^ ;" but, perhaps, it is only a burning 

 from deficient venldutiun. falir the surface of the soil, throw a slight 

 sprinkling of soot on the surface, and if the back of your frame or pit is 

 very white, dull it with a mixlure of soot and sulphur made into a paint. 

 Leave alBO a little air on all night. 



Indian Seeds {T. B., Leeds).— Theyrarely are worth trying to cultivate. 

 The Cape Goose berry is Physalis edulis. The Marvel of Peru is Mirabilis 

 jalapa f and is described in the Dictionary. The other species, perhaps, is 

 Mirabilis suaveolens. The Giant Convolvulus may be Convolvulus maximus, 

 a native of Ceylon. The other names are too indefinite to be identified. 



Orchard-bouses '.Inquirer).— The Harlow Station is the nearest to the 

 Sawbridgewonh Nn series, and we know that Mr. Rivers will admit you, 

 •r any one, to see his orchard-houses. 



Burning Clay {Starhie Baldwin).— The clay will certainly be turned 

 into a hard, red, lumpy substance like brick6; but we have always fonnd 

 that it was easily broken up into a brickdust material, which is just what 

 is required to mix with and disintegrate a heavy soil. 



Manures {An Amateur, Surbiton).— How can we advise you without 

 knowing the plants you are cultivating 1 



Climber for Greenhouse Wall (J. B.).— The Cobcea scandens would 

 grow very quick, but it is slightly herbaceous, though it would always be 

 green. Perhaps as a mere cover or shade, Cissns antarctica or any other 

 greenhouse Clssus would be best, as it runs closely and always presents a 

 thicket of green. 



Sowing Deodar Seeds {Sophia).— Split the Deodar cones and beat them 

 a little and the seeds will drop out, or yon may take them out. Sow in loam, 

 slightly covered, and put in a cool place under glass. 



Covers of our Volumes {Idem).— There is no difficulty in obtaining the 

 covers through any bookseller. Their price is Is. each. 



Flower-garden Plan {Idem).— The colours are pretty well arranged. 

 Such lists as yon reqaire have been often given. The other week you wonld 

 see the planting of a flower-garden at Sti'affan— all low things. As yonr 

 beds are only 3 feet across, we would prefer planting each bed of a colour. 

 We think all these will do, except those to which we allude. The beauty of 

 the picture will consist in having the plants about the same height. We 

 therefore think Ferilla will be tall for anything yon have, unless you 

 stump it down well. For the same purpose the Linum will be too tall for a 

 crimson, and the Clarkia would be more suitable. A crimson Verbena 

 would be better still, and more lasting. For whites as in unison with 

 Saponarias, you might use white Clarkia or white Feverfew pegged down ; 

 but the best would be white Verbenas or white Alyssum. For violet we 

 fear the Convolvulus will be foo rampant, and we would prefer such things 

 as Verbena Purple King or Charlwoodii, and for lilac such a Verbena as 

 pulchella. At this season, however, we can only criticise the intended 

 planting of our friends— we really tannot plant for them. The scarlet and 

 yellow Nasturtiums must be well picked of leaves, or thev will be too strong 

 tor the rest. We dislike the most brilliant colours being in the centre of 

 such a group, and therefore your Nemophila discoidalis will do. We think 

 you would improve your figure by having the central circle white, and as 

 you have twelve clumps ronnd it in six pairs, you could put a scarlet pair for 

 white._ In the f jnr clumps at the two corners you might put white where 

 vio'et is, and vice versa . The other week a list of annuals was given for a 

 small garden. 



Primulas, &c. ( Tyro).— Division of the plants and offsets are the modes 

 of propagating Primulas ; cuttings cannot be made of them. Tobacco 

 paper can be bought at wholesale tobacconists, but shag tobacco we prefer 

 tor fumigating. 



Names of Fruit {S. Pedley, Tenter den). —The Apple is evidently a 

 seedlinu, and appears to be a good kitchen sort. The naming of it will 

 rest with yourself. Being a good keeping Apple, itdeserves to be cultivated. 



Names of Plants {E. A. S.).— Iti* useless to attempt naming Ferns in 

 the seedling state, as are all those yon have sent. They will alter entirely 

 by the time they get matured. <J. 8.).— Dipsacns ^vlvestris, or Wild 

 Teasel. (C. B., Knaresborough) .—It is Daphne mezerenm, a native of 

 England. {F. If.).— Fabiana imbricata. (<7. F.).— Omplialoc'es verna. 

 {M. B. B.).— l, Platycerium alcicorne; 2, Adiantnm forniosum ; 3, Adian- 

 tum cuneatum; 4, Selaginella unvinatu. (if. B., Yorkshire).— \, Oncidium 

 carthaginense ; 2, O. lurldum ; 3, O. altissimum, apparently ; 4, Dendro- 

 bium Pierardi. 



POULTRY, BEE, and HOUS EHOLD CHRONICLE. 

 THE POULTRY CLUB. 



All associations of men for the purpose of assisting each other 

 in harmless and useful pursuits deserve the support of their 

 fellows, provided the grounds on which they start are sound. 

 When, however, the ohject they have in view is unattainable, or 

 appears so to some, it is the duty of these to mate their notions 

 public. 



" Members to be expelled the Club at a general meeting." 

 What is to be the effect of expulsion ? The Club is not like the 

 Jockey Club — it has no competing ground which is its own 

 property, or where it is paramount, and can prevent the peccant 

 party from exhibiting. 



" Committees of Poultry Exhibitions to be requested to place 

 their Shows under the rules of the Club. The Stewards to 

 appoint Judges when desired to do so. The Judges to judge 

 according to the rules drawn up for their guidance." 



If the Club means to do anything at all, it oujiht to provide 

 Committee, Secretary, and Judges. It should offer pen money. 

 It might advertise that any place having a fitting buildiDg, and 



undertaking to provide the sum of £ , shall, on application 



to the Poultry Club, be provided with a poultry show, con- 

 ducted on the most approved principles. There is no objection 

 to the appointment of Judges, but there will be difficulty about 

 the rales. Who shall judge the Judges ? Fancy a Yorkshire- 

 man at the Spangled Hamburgh class, and finding in his book 

 of rules that Golden cocks must have black breasts. He would 

 resign — a black breast is a heresy in his eye. In the search 

 after immaculate Judges, it will occur, perhaps, that for English 

 Shows it may be desirable to have Judges from Scotland or 

 Ireland. Both pin their faith to purely black breasts and taili 

 in Dorkings. Fancy the dismay in the general class. 



But the "Judge or Judges," what are they to do? The 



